Improvement in reversible knob-latches



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BARTHEL ERB E, OF EAST BIRMINGHAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

Lette/rs Patent No. 87,096, elated February 23, 1869. JJ

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE KNOB-LATCHES The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Be itknown'that I, B'ARTHEL'ERBE, of the borough of East Birmingham, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in the Manner of Constructing Reversible Door-Latches and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of door-latches called reversible, but is only applicable to what are technically called riin-latches, but not to mortiselatches.

It consists in so constructing the externa-lease, that a section of the rim may be removed, so as to permit a vertical movement of the latch, sufiicient to bring the head of the latch outside the case, so as to allow its being reversed without being disconnected from its internal attachments, and in arranging and 0011- structing the latch so as to secure or permit such lateral movement and reversion.

To enable others to apply my improvement to all such locks, orlatchesas it is adapted to, Iwill more fully describe it in view oi' the drawings, in z ll of which the same letters refer to the same parts.

Figure l is a perspective view of a cased rim-lock, or latch, embodying my improvement, as it appears when ready to be applied to a door.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same latch, with the parts in position to permi'tthe reversion of the latchhead'.

a a a is the removable part ofthe rim. It is hinged or pivoted between the two plates or faces of the case, as indicated by the dotted lines, at c, (iig. 2,) and iits snugly between when in position for use, as in fighi. It (a a.' a) is enlarged at the front end, s'o as to allow the hole o' through it. When in position for use, this holel coincides with the screw-holes o o inthe case, and when in use, a wood-screw inserted therein, holds a c c securely in place as a part of the case.

The latch-head1) is connected with the front end of an ordinary yoke, at d, by a swivel-joint, so that it (the latch-head) may be revolved on its longitudinal axis, for the purpose of presenting the bevel side either to the right or left.

The entire body of the latch, including the yoke, moves vertically, (on the hub or follower x, for a centre,) so as to bring the head of the latch outside of the case when it is desired to reverse it. (See iig. 2.)

In what is commonly called a lever 7Hatch, the latch can be readily connected to the lever, so as to permit both the lateral and axial motions.

My improved latch being constructed as above described, and in position shown in iig. l, is reversed from taking hold of the projecting end of the latch, and lifting it into the position shown in fig. 2, when it may be reversed ou its axis, as before described.

'lhe removable section of the case a a a, as will be seen, is displaced bythe lifting of the latch. i These three things,-the removable section of the case, the vertical movement of the latch, and the axial movement of thel latch-head, are the only conditions involved in my invention, all other parts of the lock, or latch being of ordinary construction.

The axial movement of the latch-head I do not claim as new, nor do I claim broadly removing a portion of the case of a lock, to permit the reversal of the latchhead; but

I do claim, `in combination with the removable section of the rim of the case, the reversible latein so arranged as to be moved vertically, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

BARTHEL ERBE.

Witnesses A. PATTERSON, E. G. KREHNN.

a right to a left-hand latch, or vice versa, by simply 

